Shinji's Creed
by Heart of Virgo
Summary: Given a Creed, how might Shinji grow as a person? Sometimes, people only need a little direction in life. (On Hiatus until I complete the plot.)
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I do not own Neon Genesis Evangelion. This is the property of someone else, whose name escapes me. Also, despite its very brief mention, I do not own Bleach either, even if it does just appear as a manga in this story.**

It wasn't often that Shinji got time off. Between NERV, school, and his roommates, he doesn't get much time to himself. Despite opinions to the contrary, on this rare day off, Shinji does not immediately unleash his perversion on the world. No, he does something that nobody expects, but in hindsight should be pretty obvious. Shinji leaves the apartment that he shares with Asuka, Misato, and the genetically engineered penguin Pen Pen, and heads down to the bookstore on the corner of Main Street.

Despite what his roommate and somewhat love interest Asuka would assume, Shinji does not rush over to the section of the store that contains dirty magazines. Instead, he heads over to the section of the store that sells Manga. Shinji, like many young boys, enjoys reading Manga, despite fears of being labeled an Otaku. Today, Shinji decides to pick up a manga by the name of Bleach. He has read several manga in the series, but the one he reads today has a profound impact.

Shinji reads on, and as Ichigo flees from Urahara, Shinji finds him sympathetic. After all, Shinji had been running from his problems all his life. And then, he reaches the part where Zangetsu appears for the very first time, and the sword's speech to Ichigo seems to strike directly into Shinji's heart, as if Zangetsu were speaking to him personally. The words, despite being flat on a piece of paper seem to ring through his mind, echoing in his very soul.

"Abandon your fear. Face forward; don't give an inch. Advance; never stop. Retreat and you will age. Hesitate and you will die." Shinji murmurs, voice a soft whisper of awe and realization. He continues to read on, excitement filling him as Ichigo turns and faces Urahara. Hero worship takes over as Ichigo successfully stands his ground against the much stronger Shinigami, and Shinji decides there and then that he would heed the wise words of Zangetsu. He would abandon his fear and his insecurities, and would stride forward in life, head held high. Those words would become his creed. -

Shinji's new resolve was put to the test the very second he got home. As he walked through the door, he doesn't even have time to react before Asuka grabs him by the front of his shirt and slams him against the wall. As his head smacks harshly into the wall, stars burst to life before his very eyes. His vision clears, and all he can see is angry German. Asuka's bright blue eye's burn with fury and her rather attractive face is scrunched up in a horrible scowl. Her face is flushed as crimson as her hair in her rage, whilst a vein pulses dangerously in her forehead.

Fear fills Shinji, and shame floods his mind for having made Asuka angry. For so long, he had blamed himself for how angry he made Asuka. After all, it had to be his fault, didn't it? She was never like this with anyone else, after all. In public, she was a darling but fiery little angel. It was only at home that she earned her moniker of Red Devil.

"Shinji, where were you? You were with that doll, Wonder girl, weren't you? Why weren't you at home, fixing my dinner? Well!" Asuka practically roared in his face, jealousy and anger coloring her tone. If you happen to be a more observant listener than Shinji, you might hear the undercurrent of fear in her voice. As it is, Shinji is only fourteen and has a long ways to go.

"I-I was o-only at the bookstore, A-Asuka!" Shinji whimpered, curling in on himself. In response, Asuka slams him against the wall again. Stars bursting into his vision briefly, Shinji struggles to focus on Asuka's face, avoiding her eyes.

"You were looking at dirty magazines when you were supposed to be fixing my dinner!" Asuka was steadily turning a rather interesting color of maroon, and Shinji rather imagined he could see steam coming from her nostrils. Or maybe it was smoke?

"I was not!" Shinji practically whined. He noted that at least he didn't stutter this time. Asuka merely snorted in response, her face returning to a more normal color.

"Whatever. Go cook something, you lazy, perverted moron." She growled dismissively. Shinji was about to comply, as always, when a voice echoed in his head.

'Abandon your fear.' Shinji had never heard Zangetsu's actual voice, having only read the manga. Still, the dark, rich voice, filled with wisdom and power, was exactly what he imagined the sword would sound like.

"Abandon your fear." Shinji whispered that same awe from before filling him. Something new to Shinji rose with that awe. It was something foreign to Shinji. That something bore the name, Determination.

"What was that, idiot? You have something to say?" Shinji looked up, meeting Asuka's eyes for the first time in over a week. Asuka's light blue eyes, the color of the sky, gleamed with a dull interest. She obviously didn't expect much. This time though, something in Shinji's own eyes caught her attention. His eyes, a dark, oceanic blue, were hard. Resolve shone in them, like steel. It had cracks of course, Shinji having never truly been resolved to do anything in his life. But it was there none the less.

"Make your own dinner. It's y-your turn anyway." Shinji's voice cracked in the middle, his resolve riddled with uncertainty. He got his message across all the same. Shinji scurried by Asuka, leaving her standing by herself in the hallway. He fled to his room, disbelieving of his own bravery. Still, warmth unknown to Shinji began to fill him. It was called pride, something he was unused to feeling.

Meanwhile, Asuka could only stare at the spot Shinji had stood in shock. He had stood up to her. This thought pounded through her mind. He had actually stood up to her. So small, it was nearly invisible, Asuka's pink lips curled slightly upward. She was smiling.

**Author's notes: This isn't the first attempt I've made at writing this fandom, but it is difficult to do correctly even now. The characters of Evangelion, despite the purpose with which the series was made, are complex and multi-faceted. They all have problems, and it is taxing trying to understand them well enough to actually write them. I believe I made a mistake with Asuka. This is relatively early in the series, and she doesn't get as physically abusive as I made her until later in the series. By the way, this will not be a bashing fic. They are pathetic attempts at stories, where the characters are all two dimensional hacks that never change or grow. Please leave a review.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I do not own any Anime, Manga, Game, Book, or Movie referenced, specifically Neon Genesis Evangelion, Bleach, and Twilight. Thank You.**

Shinji awoke the next day, nervously expecting Asuka to come barging into his room at any moment demanding explanations for his behavior or that he do some chore that he had supposedly neglected. Strangely, neither of these things happened. Glancing over at his clock, Shinji groaned. Seven am blinked innocently back at him, the digital red numbers happily doing their job of reminding him of the time. Shinji briefly considered rolling back over, but his stomach grumbled rather loudly in complaint. He had not eaten dinner last night, to busy hiding from whatever wrath Asuka may have been feeling.

Giving a sigh of resignation, Shinji stumbled to his feet. If he wanted breakfast, it was best he cooked it for himself. Shinji staggered tiredly into the kitchen, and immediately he was taken aback. Standing in the kitchen, wearing his apron, was Asuka. Her back was turned to him, the stove happening to face away from the kitchen door. He rubbed at his eyes, looking again. Yes, he told himself, Asuka really is standing in the kitchen at seven in the morning on a Saturday, and she's humming. That thought hit him again. Is that really Asuka? Humming a cheerful little tune while cooking?

Indeed she was, Asuka's beautiful voice rising and falling in a happy melody that Shinji didn't recognize. This was accompanied by the sizzling of the skillet as Asuka cooked something, which smelled pretty decent. Asuka wasn't the best cook, but she was by far much superior to Misato in that department, and nearly as good as himself. That and she had a flare for western foods, whereas Shinji's talents lay more in most eastern dishes.

"Asuka?" Shinji questioned. At his voice, she stopped humming abruptly, spinning to face him. Her face immediately flushed in what even he recognized as embarrassment, before a glare settled on her fair features. He couldn't help but gulp, and for more than one reason. She looked better in that apron than he ever could.

"What the hell do you want, Shinji?" She snarled, angry at being caught in what he recognized as a private moment. It wasn't often Asuka let down her guard, and she didn't like being caught with it down. She tended to get more than a little irritable when it happened. Shinji couldn't help but wonder what had put her in such a good mood though.

"I-I just came out here to get some breakfast." He stuttered, taking a small step back. Asuka settled down, though her glare softened but a little. She turned back around, focusing on whatever she was cooking, though her shoulders were now rigid. Shinji wisely decided to retreat, sitting down at the dining table. The minutes passed in a tense silence, the sounds of cooking emanating from the kitchen being the only noise in the entire apartment. Shinji lay his head down on the table, eyes drooping tiredly. It really was far too early in the morning for his taste.

Suddenly, a plate smacked down inches from his nose, a stack of waffles piled high on it, an over easy egg resting at the very top. He swiveled to look at Asuka, bewildered. She stood there, still wearing his apron, her arms crossed. She very deliberately refused to meet his questioning gaze.

"Asuka?" He queried softly.

"Just eat your damn breakfast, moron." She huffed, turning to face him, arms still crossed. Her face was flushed, though from the heat of the kitchen or from something else he didn't know. He turned to what was apparently his breakfast. It really did look delicious.

"Thank you, Asuka." He dug in, and her cooking was heavenly. The waffles were fluffy, and the egg split right open, yoke running down the sides of the waffles and mixing with syrup.

"Whatever." She stalked off, returning a minute later with her own plate, and no longer wearing his apron. He brushed off the twinge of disappointment he felt at seeing her no longer wearing something of his. They ate in a peaceable silence, undisturbed by the apartments other residences. Misato was either at work, or passed out drunk in a bar, and Pen Pen was passed out drunk in his freezer.

Shinji slowly became aware that Asuka was watching him. He glanced up subtly, watching her watch him through his long eye lashes. She was staring at him eat, slowly eating her own food at a subdued pace. He pondered for a while why she would be staring at him while he ate. Oh.

"It's delicious, Asuka." He looked directly at her as he said this. Asuka looked away, a faint blush staining her cheeks. She murmured something in response, which he took to be gratitude for the compliment. Satisfied, Shinji returned to his own meal. Soon he finished, and he gathered his plate up and took it into the kitchen, placing it in the sink. He stopped at the fridge, glancing at the chore list, ignoring Misato's name by habit. It wasn't like she ever did any of the chores she was supposed to anyway.

Under Saturday, November 12th 2015, he had to do the dishes, clean the kitchen, and cook dinner. He noticed that Asuka had actually cooked breakfast this morning like she was supposed to. He would clean up after her as a sign of his gratitude. He also had to vacuum the living room, and bathe PenPen. Shinji rolled up his sleeves, and got to work. Of course, with Shinji's work ethic, it didn't take very long at all. The most difficult part was dragging a hung over PenPen into the tub to wash him. That bird could really put up a fight.

And so, strangely, Shinji found himself with free time. Keeping a cautious eye on Asuka, Shinji sidled over to the couch, flipping on the TV. After several minutes, he settled down with a sigh of relief. It was at this moment that Asuka flopped down next to him, snagging the remote straight out of his hands. Shinji didn't put up much of a fight. Asuka usually picked something pretty decent to watch anyway, and she was at her friendliest when she was sat down in front of the TV. He watched as Asuka distractedly flipped through the channels, finally stopping on a movie about vampires. And so started the strangest 2 hours of Shinji's life, as he watched a movie whose star was whinier than he is. The movie was called Twilight.

When Twilight finally ended, Shinji gave a sigh of relief, shuddering at the movie. He didn't like it. And it wasn't just the romance aspect not appealing to his fourteen year old mind.

"What did you think?" He gazed at Asuka, startled. It wasn't often that Asuka asked his opinion on something, and when she did it was usually a trick question. Dread settled like a lead weight in the pit of his stomach. He pretended to think about how he would answer, while praying for a way out of this discussion and searching for an excuse to do something else. 'Abandon your fear.' He nearly jumped, but his new creed settled on his mind like a warm blanket. He decided to actually have a conversation with Asuka, and if she was setting him up, then so be it.

"I-," He cleared his throat. "I didn't like it. It had some nice ideas, but there was just too many things wrong with the movie." To his surprise, and slight paranoia, Asuka nodded in agreement.

"The girl, Bella, was pathetic. Even you have more reason to complain than she does." Shinji ignored the jab at him. It was just a part of Asuka, and he would honestly be wary if she didn't take a crack at him one of these days.

"I was more disturbed by that vampire, Edward. He acted like a total stalker, watching her sleep at night. Plus he was way older than her, and he acted like a whiny teenager even though he's over a hundred years old." Asuka frowned. Shinji wasn't surprised. Asuka does have a crush on Kaji after all, and the man is well over twice her age. He's even older than Misato, a good decade older in fact. Misato is in her thirties, and Kaji is in his forties.

"I personally think that Bella was incredibly selfish. She was even leading on Jacob. If you're not interested in a person, you should let them know." Ignoring the feeling he was getting that this whole conversation was filled with implications and accusations, Shinji decided to simply enjoy a friendly debate for the first time ever with Asuka. And so the two happily chatted, spending several hours debating points in the movie. Eventually Misato got home, and she was promptly dragged into the conversation. Both teens went to bed that night with a smile on their faces.

**Author's notes: I feel like this chapter moved a little fast, and while it seems like they are getting along a lot better, this is more of a brief peace before the storm hits. There is a lot of hardship in store for these two, but the both of them will come out the better for it. After all, people only grow and change when faced with adversity. Please be kind enough to leave me a review, and PM me if you have any questions.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I do not own any Anime, Manga, Movie, Book, or Game mentioned within, specifically Neon Genesis Evangelion.**

It's Monday, and Shinji is back in school. Not being much of a morning person, Shinji is sitting at his desk in a daze. The other students chatter amongst themselves, a dull murmur in an otherwise quiet morning. Asuka in particular seems to be in a talkative mood, whispering with Hikari in rapid fire conversation that Shinji wouldn't care to follow even if he could hear them.

Touji flops into the desk beside Shinji, sprawling in his chair. He quickly settles into staring at Hikari in what he believes to be a subtle manner. Shinji, even in his dull state of mind, knows that Hikari has noticed the staring. In fact, it seems to be making her more than a little uncomfortable. Shinji is just starting to decide to ignore it, as usual, when a voice rings through his head 'Abandon your fear'. He startles, glancing around. Shinji glances back at Hikari, noticing she has gotten even more uncomfortable.

Shinji kicks Touji in the leg, eliciting a startled squawk from his larger friend. Touji turns to face him, a startled glare on his face. Shinji pretends to be ignoring the world around him, and slowly Touji turns his gaze on everybody else in range that could have kicked him. They are all doing something else, and a puzzled frown overtakes Touji's rough features. Shinji watches Hikari in a far more subtle manner, though she still turns slightly and gives him a grateful smile. He returns a small nod to her, nothing more than a slight tilting of his head.

This interaction goes unnoticed by Touji, who finally settles on watching the clock as he so often does. It does not, however, escape Asuka's attention and keen eyes. She watches Shinji with blue eyes narrowed into suspicious slits, switching her gaze to Hikari after several moments. When they show no sign of further interaction, Asuka lets it go, returning her full attention to her conversation with Hikari and several other girls around her. Shinji lets a small sigh of relief escape, unaware of a pair of crimson eyes staring unblinkingly at him.

The ringing of the bell is a welcome relief to everyone present, though for Shinji this relief is tinged with bitterness. It's Monday, after all, and he has several hours of testing at NERV to deal with on top of his homework and preparing dinner, since it's his turn. He sighs, knowing he wouldn't be getting much sleep tonight. School would be hellish tomorrow morning.

Shinji follows after Asuka, catching up to her, but staying over a dozen feet behind her. Asuka didn't like to be bothered before synchronization testing. He trudges along behind her, lost in thought, not noticing her looking back at him. He does notice, however, when she slugs him, lightly for her, in the arm. Ignoring the ache and already forming bruise in his left arm, Shinji gives her a questioning look. Her eyes flick forward, and he follows her gaze. There, in front of them, is Hikari.

Shinji returns his gaze to Asuka, dark blue eyes filled with questions. NERV is in the entirely opposite direction from where Hikari lives. Why would she be heading to NERV? She had to be, since there wasn't really anything else in this direction.

"Is she…?" Shinji trailed off, unsure. He received a shrug in response.

"Come on, let's ask her!" Asuka grabs Shinji by the arm, dragging him behind her.

"Hikari, wait up!" Asuka's shout caused Hikari to spin around, her eyes widening at the sight of them. Her shoulders hunched, eyes filling with a nervous tension. They pulled even with her, Asuka letting go of Shinji's arm. He stumbles, blushing in embarrassment as he regains his balance.

"Asuka, what are you doing here?" Asuka's stare is so deadpan that Hikari flushes in embarrassment, taking on a shade of red akin to Shinji's own. Shinji looks away out of pity, knowing what it's like to make a fool of oneself in such a manner. Asuka has a habit of unnerving anyone she speaks to with her brash, straightforward behavior.

"The better question is; what are you doing here?" One arched eyebrow has Hikari gazing at the ground, avoiding Asuka's stare. Shinji is content to leave this one alone. Hikari is Asuka's friend, not his. Interfering would just make things more complicated and awkward for everyone involved. However, his curiosity for once is too much for him to ignore.

"Um…Hikari-san, are you…uh…a pilot?" Hikari turns to meet his gaze, oceanic blue locking with oak brown. She gives a meek nod in response, breaking eye contact and focusing on the ground again. Shinji is only mildly surprised. Dr. Akagi had informed them that a new pilot had been found, but stated that the identity of the pilot was none of their business. She tended to be a real bitch, now that Shinji thought about it. Shinji was unaware of how uncharacteristic this thought was for him.

"Yes, they informed me last week. But they told me not to tell anyone!" Hikari pleads with Asuka, her hands clasped together in front of her, eyes wide and teary. Asuka's expression is inscrutable, even to Shinji. He can tell she is pondering this new development, and how it may affect her standing as the top pilot. Shinji had to hand it to her; Asuka kept her eyes on the prize, and didn't let anything distract her. Still, aside from that, he has no idea how she feels about this situation.

Finally, Asuka nods. Hikari seems relieved, but Shinji knows better. There will be a reckoning later, probably with Dr. Akagi. Asuka wasn't one to let this kind of thing just slide. Shinji would know he had gained a lot of insights into Asuka's mind with their continued sync training.

Shinji sighs, settling in beside the two girls as they walk to NERV. Tuning out the chatter, he ponders the situation himself. Would this affect him overtly? What unit would Hikari pilot? He knows it isn't Unit One, since his unit seemingly refused to synchronize with anyone else after he first got into it. Oddly, he doesn't seem to mind that he knows he'll have to continue piloting, even with a new pilot. Maybe he's finally getting used to it. He ignores the thrill that runs through him at the thought of piloting again. Maybe the fights would get easier with another pilot fighting at their side. Shinji can only hope so.

**Author's notes: This chapter is admittedly not as good as the others, but this chapter was mainly here to introduce Hikari as a new pilot. I'm not sure, but I don't think too many other authors have ever actually used our darling class rep in this manner. Next chapter, we get to see how Shinji's new found, tentative confidence affects his synchronization with Unit One. Also, Hikari gets an Eva of her own. Leave a review if you want a say in what Hikari's Eva will be like.**

**Additional Notes: Chapter Four is going to be heavily delayed. My previous computer crashed, taking all my work with it. A shame, to, because the very night it crashed was the night I completed the fourth chapter.**


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